The Hindu : Farmers to follow GAP guidelines

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 09, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Farmers to follow GAP guidelines

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, FEB. 8. Farmers in the State cultivating fruits and vegetables for export would soon have to adopt the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) guidelines drafted by a platform of leading European retailers of horticultural produce.

Developed by the Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group (EUREP), a technical working group of retailers from the leading European markets, the GAP guidelines aim at `promoting better agricultural practice' or `setting minimum standards for good agricultural practice in the agricultural and horticultural industry.' In other words, it means ensuring the safety of food products imported into Europe from other countries. The increasing concern of the Western consumers over the safety of food especially in the wake of the rising pesticide content, mad cow disease, bird flu and concerns over genetically modified organisms has been the driving force behind the drafting of stringent quality control measures for products from here.

The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK), set up to promote the horticulture sector in the State, and FoodCert, an international certification agency accredited by the Dutch Council of Accreditation (RvA), is the major first step in this direction. FoodCert, which claims to be one of the first three certification bodies in the world approved by FoodPLUS, GmBH, Germany, which administers the EUREP GAP Protocol, has already started certifying the first batch of farms in India under this scheme.

Unlike some other international agencies, the EUREP GAP does not insist upon the organic mode of cultivation, but strictly controls the usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides so that the levels of chemicals in food products remains within the prescribed limits. The focus will be on incorporating the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Crop Management (ICM) practices. Keen attention will be paid to the farming practices with detailed record keeping of all the agricultural processes made mandatory.

That means the farmers will have to keep log books on details like the climate, soil, cultivation, irrigation, trimming, ripening, harvesting, conserving and the presence of fungus, insects, mites, weeds, etc.

Another major concept in the GAP is `traceability,' which allows for the identification of sources of food products in case of contamination. The Fresh Produce Traceability Project of the GAP allows for the easy tracing of the sources of contamination. The handling and application of the pesticide and fertilizer stocks, environment, hygiene, waste management as well as safety and health of workers are the other major areas to be inspected under the scheme.

The VFPCK, which would launch the programme for 100 select farmer families in the three districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Thrissur within a couple of weeks, will organise training for the farmers in the new agricultural practices, according to Ashok Kumar Thekkan, its chief executive officer. Mr. Thekkan said the programme would greatly benefit the fruit and vegetable farmers in the State within a few years.

Even though the major share of our vegetable and fruit exports go to the Gulf countries, with this certification, our farmers could hope to access the European markets, according to him.

The conversion period of three years would be required for completing the certification process.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Union Ministry of Commerce will provide assistance to the farmers entering the scheme by reimbursing the registration fee of Rs. 5,000.

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